It’s easy to get caught up in what to say, how to say it — even how many characters to say it in — and completely lose sight of the simple truth that our words are just words, unless they’re backed by actions.

This is certainly not a new idea. However, it’s being expressed by lots of different people right now. Everyone has a different context. Witness:

Seth Godin talks to it in terms of authenticity.

Greg Cordell talks about it in terms of love.

Duncan Brown touches on it in terms of what makes a good analyst.

We’re all facing the same tough year. Maybe this is a good time to take stock of ourselves and the people we trust. Ask some of the hard questions. Look for the proof points. See who measures up while the chips are down.